People's Artist is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states (and communist states in general), as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR.
Russia
The term is confusingly used to translate two different Russian language titles: "народный артист" (awarded in performing arts, see e.g., Category:People's Artists of the USSR) and "народный художник" (awarded in some visual arts: painting drawing, and photography, see e.g., Category:People's Artists of the USSR (visual arts)). Both titles are awarded for exceptional achievements in the corresponding arts.
Some other arts gave rise special titles: People's Architect, People's Writer, People's Poet.
Vietnam
In Vietnam the abbreviation NSND (Nghệ sĩ Nhân dân, People's Artist of Vietnam) is used. This is Vietnam's top artistic award for a living artist – second only to the often posthumous Ho Chi Minh Prize. The youngest ever recipient is the Russian-trained classical pianist Đặng Thái Sơn in 1984. The lesser award of Merited Artist of Vietnam is abbreviated NSƯT.
China
The People's Artist (Chinese: 人民艺术家) is a type of national honorary titles. Currently 6 people are rated as this title:
- Lao She, awarded by Beijing Municipality Government in 1951
- Qi Baishi, awarded by Ministry of Culture of PRC Central Government in 1953[1]
- Chang Xiangyu, awarded posthumously by State Council in 2004[2]
- Wang Meng[3]
- Qin Yi[3]
- Guo Lanying, these three are awarded by SCNPC in 2019[3]